


wavelength

by oldrival



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Red & Green & Blue & Yellow | Pokemon Red Green Blue Yellow Versions, pokespe
Genre: F/M, Help, established relationships - Freeform, i cant find the green/blue ship tag, kanto, mainly specialshipping green is too pussy to propose, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24812011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oldrival/pseuds/oldrival
Summary: they've never been good at planning things out and this time is no exception
Relationships: Blue/Ohkido Green | Green/Blue Oak, OldRivalShipping - Relationship, Red & Yellow (Pokemon), Red/Yellow (Pokemon), SpecialShipping
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	wavelength

**Author's Note:**

> 4 diana again <3
> 
> very wholesome... if i teared up. i don't tear up bc i did. no i didn't <3

The headwind left in the wake of Green’s Charizard blows Yellow’s golden bangs from her forehead (twenty minutes ago they were pushed back nicely in preparation for the evening, but she supposes a windblown look might be in style these days … who knows?). She’d been staying with her uncle in Viridian City for the past couple days to help him repaint the quaint kitchen of the cottage she’d grown up in. Wilton was aging and whether he would admit it or not, the eager, youthful well of energy within Yellow saved the old sailor quite a bit of potential muscle pain when it came to tearing away the kitchen’s outdated wallpaper. Now the healer was clinging to Green on the back of his beloved orange dragon - he’d also been in Viridian, shooting down the occasional handful of headstrong trainers brave enough to attempt to challenge him at the gym. Their destination was Vermilion City, to the south. The port city currently housed the new and improved rebuilt S.S. Anne, Kanto’s luxury cruise liner and cargo ship that traveled around the world. Team Rocket had taken over the ship various times (Yellow had barely escaped drowning on it after the infamous organization had cut it in half and left it to sink in Vermilion’s port) but tonight, Kanto’s Pokédex holders planned on celebrating on it. Tonight happened to be the anniversary (nobody particularly liked calling it an ‘anniversary,’ but there really wasn’t a more somber word for it) of Silver and the Kanto dexholders’ release from the interminable state of petrification Sird had inflicted upon them. What better way to celebrate a gaggle of younger kids rescuing them from spending the rest of their lives as statues than partying on a boat notorious for housing their archenemies’ illegal operations?

Yellow sighs against Green’s back. It’s a lot to process, and she’s still not sure the extremity of the events they’d all gone through has really settled within her yet, even after a couple years have passed - she’d mostly coped by passing out in Red’s arms after miraculously surviving a life-threatening encounter with various bloodthirsty adults at least a foot taller than her. She wonders how the others cope with it all. Green wouldn’t say a word. Maybe he bottles everything up? Or maybe he lets it all out by training. Yellow could easily find out by exercising a little telepathic mind-reading, but she’d rather not pry into the depths of Green’s mind. Blue liked to joke around and laugh about it all, but usually her comedic commentary was quickly shot down by the others (especially Green and Silver, of course - those two couldn’t take a joke to save their lives). She and Silver had gone through an extra layer of trauma thanks to Pryce. And then there was Red, who Yellow had actually used her telepathic gift on. Sometimes he’d shut himself up like Green and Yellow knew it’d be easier to invade his privacy a little bit with her abilities than try to pry out exactly what was choking him up at the moment. Regardless of whether or not their methods of coping with their near-death experiences was healthy, they still had each other - and that was really the most important thing at the end of it all. 

Yellow’s shaken out of her mid-air contemplations when Green twists around to make sure she’s awake. 

“We’re here,” he says. Yellow peers down at the port where the S.S. Anne is docked. There’s a large crowd - the ship only docks in the city once a year, so the people of Kanto tend to make an annual celebration out of it. Green draws Charizard closer to the ground and as they touch down apart from the bulk of the crowd, Yellow thinks she spots who they’re here to meet. 

Sure enough, Red and Blue amble over to them. Yellow can’t stop the somewhat amused grin that spreads across her face when she sees Kanto’s champion. He’s clad in khaki shorts and a button-up aloha shirt - he looks like a dad. Blue grins at them, “We thought you’d never show up! I thought I’d have to spend the entire evening with Red, who we all agree, as I’m gathering from your expressions, unfortunately can’t dress himself. You two look cute, though!”

Both Yellow and Green’s cheeks heat up at her compliment. Red scowls.

“I really don’t see what’s wrong with what I’m wearing,” Red protests as the four of them make their way over to board the ship. 

The rest of them have managed to achieve a slightly dressy look for the evening without managing to exude any unintentional parental vibes; Yellow’s quite confident in herself, though her hair is a bit out of sorts from the ride over. She’s wearing a brand-new (well, she’s had it for several months now, but this is the first time it’s seeing the light of day) honey-colored sundress that Blue had given her for her birthday. It’s very on-brand, and she feels the prettiest she’s ever felt in it - she just hopes she doesn’t look like a mom to match Red’s tragically paternal getup … though, would that really be so bad? 

“You’re alright getting back on this hunk of metal, right?” Red turns to her, and Yellow blinks away warm and fuzzy thoughts of a tiny bundle of joy nestled in Red’s strong arms as she realizes they’re about to step onto the dock of the S.S. Anne and the last time she was on this thing Team Rocket sunk it. She beams up at Red, who’s fiddling with the collar of his patterned shirt, “Yeah, I’m fine! But I should be asking you the same thing, really…”

He’d had his own encounter with Lt. Surge in his Team Rocket days on the S.S. Anne, too. Before Red can reply with something blindly optimistic (classic Red), even if the way he’s twisting the collar of his shirt between his fingers suggests he’d be lying through his teeth, Blue, clinging to Green’s arm, turns around to face the two of them and exclaiming, “What a way to celebrate being un-petrified! Not only is today the very same day it all went down with Guile and Jirachi, but even the place - Sird petrified us here in Vermilion and now we’re getting onboard this stupid ship Team Rocket kept abusing! Can you believe Oak had us put in a box and sent to Hoenn? I should really give Silver a call. I wonder how he’s doing today with all of this...”

Green mutters something under his breath (it sounds like “noisy” and “woman”) and Blue swivels back around as quickly as she came to retort. Red and Yellow share an amused glance. Yellow loves Blue and Green dearly, but witnessing their constant bickering makes her grateful Red has such an easygoing and laid-back personality. She couldn’t imagine getting into petty arguments with him all the time. 

They follow Blue and Green, still squabbling, further onto the ship. Yellow feels a prod at her hip and looks down to find Red’s hand reaching for her own. She takes it, smiling up at him. He grins right back at her. Though they’d all spent the majority of the day rather depressively reminiscing about their tribulations, a surge of happiness bubbles up in Yellow’s chest because they’re all still here, together. 

This time, the S.S. Anne is nothing like it was all those years ago when Yellow clung to her straw hat like a safety helmet. She’s strolling along behind her two very best friends and holding the hand of the person she loves most in the whole wide world. The sun slips below the port city’s horizon, bathing the deck of the ship in a soft orange glow. The fleeting sunlight is warm on Yellow’s skin. While the background chatter of cheery, slightly inebriated Kantonians might not be as tranquil as the breezy foliage of Viridian Forest where she’d grown up, Yellow feels more at peace than she’s ever felt before here on the S.S. Anne. 

Blue stops and peeks into an open doorway filled with loud conversations and clinking glassware. 

“Will you go get us drinks?” she looks up at Green, blinking sincerely, “I want to stay out here in the sun.”

Green rolls his eyes but wriggles out of Blue’s hold to make his way into the interior of the ship anyway. He shoots Red an expectant glance for accompaniment, to which Red answers first with his own glance to Yellow for permission to go. She smiles up at him in affirmation, amused at the strength of the non-verbal communication the four of them had built up over the years. 

The boys duck through the dim doorway, leaving Yellow and Blue behind on the sunny deck. Blue links her arm through Yellow’s, pulling them forward to continue their seaside promenade, and she chirps, “Just us girls now!”

Yellow wonders if Blue’s lack of physical affection in her youth has made her so clingy now. As Yellow attempts to formulate some kind of witty comment regarding her taller friend’s touchy tendencies - Yellow has never been able to make the kind of sarcastic jokes Blue and Green rattle off with ease, but she tries sometimes - she spots Blaine talking with Bill up ahead. Blue must have recognized them too, because they up their pace to a skip in synchronization. 

“Hey, you!” Blue calls, and the men turn at the sound of her bubbly voice. Blaine opens his arms up to give Yellow a hug, and though his dark spectacles conceal his eyes, Yellow can visualize the way the crows’ feet form at the edges of the fire-type specialist’s time-worn eyes as he smiles. Blue gives Bill a warm side hug and the four of them prattle on about Team Rocket and the old Elite Four and the petrification ordeal for a while until all the talk exhausts Bill and he says he’s got to be getting on home to his kids, to which Blaine responds with a joke about how old they’re all getting and hobbles away with Bill, leaving Yellow and Blue alone again. 

The two of them are leaning on the ship’s railing, staring out at the glittering blue expanse of ocean, when Yellow decides it’s time to spill the beans to Blue about her big plans for tonight. Reaching into the pocket of her dress with a shaky hand, Yellow’s hand closes around the small shiny object that she hopes will shape her future.

Red shifts his weight under the spotty lights of the S.S. Anne’s interior bar. The room is dark, slathered in crimson and umber accents, and the bustling lull of conversation is inviting and familiar; it reminds him of the crowds at the Indigo League. He’d let Green talk to the bartender; Red was really not well versed in the world of alcohol. He’d had sips of beer and wine with various adults: Oak and Wilton had always set out a drink for him during his visits. Alcohol had just never quite piqued his interest. The taste was always a little too funny to be enjoyable and he wasn’t exactly raring to find out what kind of drunk person he was (if he had to take a guess, he’d say emotional). He figured Green knew what he was doing, and he knew each of them well enough to pick out something he thought they’d like - of course, he’d probably gotten Yellow an alcohol-free beverage like juice, or something - she wouldn’t go near the stuff. 

Red stuffs his hands into the pockets of his shorts. It’s then that his fingers come across the tiny item tucked inside that he’d almost forgotten about. He pulls it out of his pocket and into the dim light. 

“Hey, Green,” a dainty diamond set atop a bright golden band sparkles in his hand, “I’m gonna propose.”

Green doesn’t look up from where his eyes are fixated at his feet, “Are you serious?”

Red nudges his shoulder, bringing the ring closer to the gym leader’s field of vision. 

“Holy shit,” Green says, abrupt. His eyes are wide. It’s been a while since Red has seen his childhood friend appear so genuinely astounded.

“Are you sure? You’re both still pretty young to - to get married. You’re ready to make things … real? Obligatory?” Green stumbles over his words. Red can tell he’s avoided thinking about this kind of thing. On the other hand, Red’s quite the opposite; countless times he’s drifted off into daydreams of spending the rest of his life with Yellow, waking up next to her, growing old with her. To Red, getting married is sort of a comforting way of solidifying the bond they already have and taking it to the next level. It’s only now that he realizes how differently he and Green think about relationships: Green consumes himself with worrying about the commitment in terms of time, money, and emotional stamina. Red doesn’t think about anything like that at all - being with Yellow calms him down and makes him feel the most secure and happy he’s ever felt - she takes away all his worries. 

“It’s not like we’re getting married now - we’d just be getting engaged. Things aren’t really changing or anything … I’ve always loved her, y’know. Even when we first met, there was a kind of platonic bond there that just grew into something bigger over time. Like, I already know I wanna spend the rest of my life with her. Don’t worry, you still have a while to find a suit for when you’re the best man,” Red stares at the sparkling gem in his fingers, smiling down wistfully at it. 

Green blinks, lost in thought. After a moment, he says, “Yeah, okay. I guess tonight really is the perfect time to do it … and if I get to be the best man then who am I to stop you?”

They chuckle. Green moves to go collect the drinks from the bar. 

The reality of what Red’s about to do starts to set in, an anxious weight settling deep down in his chest. He hasn’t rehearsed what he’ll do or say at all. He wonders if he’s prepared for this. Perhaps the words will just come to him in the moment. That definitely sounds plausible. Well, they don’t really need to verbally articulate their feelings, anyway, with Yellow’s intuitive mind reading abilities. He’s sure the glittering exorbitant band enclosed in his palm will get the point across. He really can’t imagine Yellow telling him no, she’s not ready, but there’s always a chance she might turn him down. Though, wouldn’t Green have said something and warned him? But what does Green know about any of this? The man avoids discussing or even thinking about relationships too much. Red tries to ignore the serpentine anxiety twisting its way down into his stomach and just focusing on hoping everything will turn out alright.

At the bar, Green looks over his shoulder, and Red takes it as his cue to come help carry the drinks outside.

Yellow’s trembling fingers fish the object out from her pocket and before she can even open her mouth, Blue’s eyes dart towards her hands to gape at it, “What is that? Is that - is that what I think it is? Are you - Yellow!”

A furious blush paints the blonde’s cheeks bright pink. 

“I, um, yes,” Yellow slides the ring, too big for her dainty fingers, over her thumb, “Wilton gave it to me … it was my parents’. My dad’s, I guess. He gave it to me a while ago, on my twentieth birthday. I remember him saying something like, ‘whenever you’re ready.’”

“Are you going to propose?” 

“Um, I guess so, yes.”

Blue pounces on her, enveloping her in the tightest hug Yellow thinks the girl has ever given her (and that’s saying something - Blue had shown them all no mercy, squeezing them tight after their juniors had un-petrified them). Hastily Yellow clasps her hands to her chest so she doesn’t lose the ring over the side of the ship. The brunette leans back, her hands on Yellow’s shoulders. Her bright blue eyes shine with tears.

“I can’t believe it. Well, I can. But still. Oh boy, what are you going to say? This’ll show Red. It’s about time anyway - I was thinking about trying to talk him into it … and oh, wow! Yellow, you’re so clever. Tonight is the perfect night to do this!” Blue raves, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye, her bottom lip trembling as she smiles. 

Yellow doesn’t have time to tearily rejoice with her, though, because she’s wondering what in the world she’s supposed to say while she presents the love of her life with her precious heirloom. 

“You’re - you’re supposed to say something? Oh, I thought you just - you just gave them the ring, and -”

“Yes! Wait, it’s okay, let’s brainstorm. Okay, so you just have to, y’know, tell him how much you love him or something, and then pull the ring out and say, ‘Red, will you marry me?’ in a really serious voice. You’ll be fine! You can do it!”

“Oh, no … should I even do this? I’m scared … this is a lot. But I do really want to … I can’t let this chance go.” 

“Yes! You have everything going for you. It’s the perfect time, you have the ring with you, and look at the sunset! So pretty. And you look gorgeous! You can do it! It’ll be perfect -” Blue jostles Yellow’s shoulder, waving at a spot behind her in the distance, “- oh, Yellow, quick, put the ring away! They’re coming back, look!”

Yellow tucks the ring back into her pocket and turns around to Red handing her a glass of what looks to be berry juice (she hopes … proposing while drunk probably wouldn’t end well). Now that he’s here, towering over her with his very real broad shoulders and dark eyes, it all becomes very real. Yellow realizes she’s spent too much time daydreaming about what comes after the proposal - the big wedding, the flowy white dress, cutting into the cake - than the actual act of proposing itself. What was she thinking, bringing the ring Wilton had entrusted her with onto the S.S. Anne on a whim with absolutely no clue how she would hand it over to Red?

“Green,” Blue croons, snaking her arms around him, “Let’s go, um, leave these two alone for a minute, so they can, um…”

Yellow stares at her, eyes drilling into the brunette’s as she trails off, struggling to find the right words. For someone who’d slyly outwitted numerous criminals while at a disadvantage, Blue wasn’t exactly doing a fantastic job of keeping Yellow’s own plans covert. Stiffening, Green looks sternly at the older girl, “Wait, did - do you know -”

“What? Come on, let’s go this way. I think Yellow and I spotted some Seel in the water over here,” Blue cuts in, shooting Yellow a grin and a wink before she drags Green off around the corner, leaving Yellow very alone with just Red and the ring in her pocket for company.

Once Yellow has stared out at the vast ocean for a while once more, this time with Red, his gentle voice fills the content silence between them.

“Y’know, Yellow … I probably don’t tell you enough, but I’m so grateful you came after me when I went missing during the whole Elite Four showdown with Team Rocket. If you hadn’t found Pika and taken care of him then, I don’t know what would have happened to him. I guess Green’s old man would have taken him in, but … you’ve done so much for me, so … thank you. For everything. For always coming after me when I throw myself into some battle I clearly can’t win …”

Happiness bubbles up in Yellow’s chest again at Red’s gratitude, and she’s basking in it and the last rays of sunlight the evening has to offer when he asks, seriously, “Why do you do it?”

The muscles in her back tense. She looks up at him at her side. He’s staring off at the azure waves with an unreadable expression drawing his features tightly together. 

“I … I don’t know,” Yellow answers, unsure, “I don’t know why I wouldn’t always come after you. Someone’s got to watch your back and keep your ambitions from getting out of hand, right?”

Yellow turns back to the sea. They’re silent for a moment, the only sound in the evening air being the ocean waves breaking against the side of the ship. 

“I think what you said to me after we first met changed the way I saw things. I was still so young, and all I knew was Viridian. But meeting you, back then, I think it opened up my eyes to the rest of the world … at least, to the rest of Kanto. I felt … I felt like maybe one day I could be like you, exploring the region and befriending its people and Pokémon. And then I met Blue and I learned you’d gone missing and I had to do something. I never stopped thinking about you after that, y’know. Red, I - I do it because I love you,” Yellow looks back up at Red, and he meets her sincere gaze. 

She’s got to do it now. The timing is just right. She’s managed to articulate her feelings out loud, the sun has almost slipped beneath the horizon, painting their surroundings in an orangey-pink light, there’s nobody else around - Yellow looks down, slipping her hand into her pocket, ready to pull out the ring and ask Red to stay by her side forever when she looks up and he’s down on one knee holding out his own ring right in front of her. Too late, Yellow freezes, wondering if she should be taking a knee, too. Red’s mouth falls open and he stares up at her, eyes wide as Yellow clutches the ring Wilton had given her to her chest. Things hadn’t exactly gone to plan, but was there really one established in the first place? Yellow smiles, a wide, open smile, and she’s about to pop the big question before he can ask her first when a brash voice suddenly cuts in from behind her, “Seriously?” 

The deep raspy laugh that accompanies the exclamation tells her that Blue and Green have walked in on their fortuitous double proposal. Yellow breaks into a fit of giggles then, causing a grin to spread across Red’s face as he asks, beaming like he’s never been happier in his life, “Yellow, will you marry me?”

Yellow holds out her free hand so Red can slip the ring on, teetering closer to him, “Yes! Red, will you marry me?” 

“Of course I will,” Red laughs, and she slips her parents’ old ring onto the champion’s hand. She’s leaning down, taking his head in her hands so she can plant a kiss onto the lips she loves so much, and her eyes fill with happy tears because she gets to spend the rest of her life with the best person she’s ever met. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Yellow thinks she hears Blue cheekily asking “I’m next, right?” behind her, a scoff from Green quickly following the implication. Red’s big weathered hands fall onto her waist, and Yellow can’t help but smile into the kiss when she feels the solid band on his left ring finger against her side. She’s never been more in love.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading!!! i hope you enjoyed <333


End file.
